View full sizeA near empty beach is seen in Gulf Shores, Wednesday, Sept. 1, 2010. While Labor Day 2010 saw a light beach crowd due to the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Alabama beaches are expecting a heavy turnout in 2011, despite the threat of Tropical Storm Lee. Rental agencies said they are seeing few cancellations because of the storm, which has prompted tropical storm warnings from Pascagoula, Mississippi, west to Texas, but not in Alabama. (Press-Register/Bill Starling)

GULF SHORES, Alabama -- Kaiser Realty's Emily Gonzalez said her firm had not yet experienced any cancellations due to Tropical Storm Lee, but some tourists had called to ask about what would happen should the storm progress.

The company offers travel insurance with all reservations, she said, and when a storm turns into a named hurricane, those who did not want to make the trip could be refunded.

A few tourists called Friday afternoon to move their reservations to later this month or early October, she said. But she did not expect to see much change in occupancy rates because many people had traveled from Louisiana and Mississippi, where they were forced to evacuate.

Missy Zak, with Meyer Real Estate said that her company had received a few cancellations today. Labor Day weekend occupancy dropped about 7 percent since yesterday, to about 85 percent from 92 percent Thursday, she said. But some people who canceled this morning had a change of heart. "They called back and said, 'Never mind. I'm coming.' People just aren't real sure what to expect."

Meyer offers a refund through a third-party insurance company in the case of a mandatory evacuation, Zak said.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the city was monitoring the intensity of the storm.

"Right now there just doesn't seem to be a threat," he said. "We hate to see Labor Day rained out or rained on, but we've had such great weather all summer long and you expect you're going to catch a rainy weekend soon or later."

Conditions were similar in Gulf Shores, where red flags were raised at the beach, and city spokesman Grant Brown said double red flags could be posted Saturday. Lifeguard stands had been pulled. For current surf conditions, call (251) 968-TIDE (8433).

Gulf Shores officials said residents living in low-lying areas should expect heavy rainfall and localized flooding and should begin taking precautionary measures to protect themselves and their property. Anyone experiencing flooded roadways or conditions is asked to contact the Gulf Shores Police Department at 251-968-2431.

"City officials are urging all citizens to exercise extreme caution when driving in flooded areas," the city of Gulf Shores said in a news release this afternoon. "As road conditions can change rapidly, the public is discouraged from driving over flooded roads or around barricades. Please use extreme caution until roads reopen."

Officials are also watching the shores to see if oil from tar mats washes onto the beach, though Brown said that as of about 1 p.m. no oil had been spotted.

Cleanup crews paid for by BP would are patrolling the beach today, as well as Saturday and Sunday and are expected to be on standby for Monday, Brown said.

He urged people to take "whatever precautions they would take when heavy rain events occur and use caution when driving across roadways covered with water."